I know I don't usually post personal stuff here but I need to post this somewhere. Thanks for your patience.
Today I said goodbye to a friend.
Margie was a colleague and highly respected in our area. She had always wanted to be a doctor and had done extra training in mental health to add to her skills as a GP. She also trained medical students for UNSW. She taught communication and clinical skills at which she was extremely good.
But she was so much more than that. She loved bush walking and was very fit and happy to trek anywhere in the world. She loved music and sang in choirs all over the world just for the fun of it. Her daughter is a wonderful violinist. She was a dedicated and caring mother who encouraged her children to follow their dreams. She was so proud of both of them and glowed when she spoke of them. She was committed to the environment and lived in a little bit of bush paradise down a dirt track which she graded with her own back hoe when it had rained and stood on the roof to fight bush fires when they threatened. She would have a go at anything and was good at most she tried. She loved good food and good company and had a belly laugh that reminded you of how good it was to be happy. Happy enough to invite herself to anything that sounded interesting, she got everything she could out of life.
I think the word for her was intrepid. She was so full of life and fearless. I could never imagine myself doing the things she did or even wanting to but I very much admired her zest for life.
For about 7 years a small group of us with common interests have met monthly for lunch. All GPs. All working with an interest in mental health. All contributing to education of students and registrars. All recognising that supporting each other was important. All gradually building precious friendship even though each of us is quite different to the other. Margie was part of that group.
Today, at her memorial it was clear that she had many friends from many walks of life. She was like a multifaceted jewel. Opal springs to mind for all the colours. And colourful was definitely a word that applied to Margie.
Goodbye friend. I hope you are at peace. You will be missed.
